Cashier protector



June 13, 1933. F, @um ,ET-AL 1,913,925 y l 1 MMM June 13 1933- F. GULIA Er AL CSHIER PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l5, 1931 Patented June 13, 1933 .v f f v l i 7 UNITED STATES PATENT? 'OFFICE Application filed. July 13, 1931. Serial No. 550,534.

This invention relates to bank cages of that the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages type in which manually operated means reof the invention. leases a shutter which iiies up andrcovers ln the accompanying drawings forming th-e front of the cage above the counter and part of this specification,

5 thus protects the occupant of the cage from Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a bank cage 55 gun fire and from being held up by burglars. @quipped With the invention,

An object` of the invention is to provide Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but shownovel loop leaf springs which are normally 111g the device inoperative position to'close compressed and, when released, exert a balthe grid- M0178 the COIlnte'I,

10 anced fgrce kagainst', the bottom of the Shut- Flg. 8 lS a, Vertical Sect/10.113,1 View taken OI). 30 ter to slide the yshutter instantly upward with the 1.1M 3 3 0f Fig. l, accuracy S thai-buckling and binding 0f Fig. 41s a cross sectional view taken on the shutter in the emergency will positively 011811116 lj-4 0f Fgl, r be prevented and instant response beassured Flg- 5 1 5 a detail longitudinal 'S9/@1011211 l5 when the shutter releasing means is 1nanual- 710W sowlhg thi@ Push guttn andctuatng U5 1y Mxmted,` `prolec ion ere or on t e s utter,

A further object is to provide releasing F 1g,- 6 1S a fagmelt'y detail eleVatOn means for the shutter comprising a treadle ShOWmz th@ bottom PlVOt 0f one 0f the 10013 90 and a spring-pressed catch, which latter leaf.` SP1`1n gS holds the shutter at as lower limit of move F1a 7 ,1S a Stall Sectlonal new .Shovms 70 ment in inoperative position against the tenthe top PWCt 0f one of the lOOPleaf Splmgs sion of the loop leaf springs, the treadle beand. .V Y ing pivoted and being disposed within con- Flg: 8 1.5 a .fagftmmatlc VleW Showmg the 5'venient reach of the cage occupants foot so electrlc 91mm" Wlrmg for the .Ludlbie almfm as to be readily accessible in times of emer- 1. Referrmg DOW t0 the drawmgs 1n Winch 75 gency while, at other times, being out of the ,Ike Charactelis of @ference deslgnat 51ml' way so as not to be accidentally struck. alla) pairts m me @nous .VleWs 10 deslgtlates A still further object is to provide an alarm ab an (tgige prvlegd Whlhe usual gnd 11 3G device including a push button and an eleca' Wed come th il l?, latter as usual BO tric bell or other audible signal, the push teeelsd eyon O t e mnt and back of button being located in the ath of movement of a projection carried neir one lower cormolparrymg out the mventlon We Shdably i a substantially rectangular metal ner of the shutter so that as the shutter 1 shutter 13 on the` vertical side posts 14 of the travels upward, the alarm device will be f rsounded when the shutter reaches nearl its Cage the Shutter bemg Concealed from the 8o upper limit of movement y y froit by lhe usual panel 15 below the counter,

i Object i 1.0 provide a deuna. le at tirata Vic@ 5f ths Chlml Wllch Wm b formd movement by angle iron guides 16y which em- 0 EL @W S Tong an um e Parts W ich Wln `brace the side edges of the shutter and are n be inconspicuous and concealed when assein- Secured to the posts M The Shutter is pref* bled Wlth the Cage and Whch Wlu not 635115 rerably formed of suiicient size to form a get (71u55 ONLfhOrdI. d th b. t closure in front of the grid 11 when at its i n l e a ove an o er o ec s in view ugim' the invention consists in certain novel de-Y of1th?ictngoevfidiliitgiirrlidfii'l.0 met the Oc tails of construction and combinations of For Operating the Shutter, w provide a partsliereinafter fully described and claimed Vpair of 'loop leaf springs 17 and 18 disposed l@ belng UndefStOOd that YllOUS IHOdlfiCaon opposite sides of the shutter and crossing tions may be resorted to within thescope of each other at spaced points 19 in parallel the appended claims without departing from planes. Each spring is pivoted at the bottom to the floor sill of the cage preferably by means of a hinge 21, best shown in Fig. 6, the leaves of which may be bolted, riveted, or otherwise secured to the leaf spring and to the sill. The top of each spring is likewise pivoted to the shutter 13 near the bottom thereof by means of a pivot pin 22, best shown in Fig. 7 aroundwhich the end of the spring is preferably looped and riveted, the pivot pin being assembled with a base plate 23 which is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the metal shutter.

By referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the ends of each loop leaf spring are pivotally secured in vertical alinement near the extreme lateral ends of the floor sill and the shutter, and that both loop leaf springs cross each other at spaced points 19 disposed approximately coincident with the longitudinal center line of the shutter. By virtue of this construction, the pressure of the springs during expansion will be equalized or balanced on the shutter so that the shutter will be instantly and truly slid upwardly in the guides 16 without danger of buckling `or binding therein While the tension springs are expanding.

For normally holding the shutter at its lowest limit of movement against the tension of the loop leaf springs, a pin 24, best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is mounted to slide toward and away from the rear face of the shutter through the legs of a substantially U-shaped bracket 25 which is rigidly secured in any preferred manner to the sill 2() midway between the ends thereof. A cleat 26 is secured to the shutter near the center of the bottom edge thereof and, during downward movement of the shutter, the cleat rides over a .bevel formed on the end of the pin 24 and presses the pin back against the tension of a helical spring 27` which surrounds the pin 'between the legs of the bracket and is confined between one of said rlegs and va pin 28 passed through the pin 24, as best shown in Fig. 4. rllhe spring urges the pin24 back over the cleat when the cleat has passed downwardly therebeyond and yautomatically locks the shutter at its lowest limit of movement in inoperative or released position.

,For withdrawing the pin'24 from engagement with the cleat, we provide a treadle comprising a rock shaft 29 which extends longitudinally of the floor sill and is rotat- :ably mounted at the -ends in angle irons 30 rigidly secured tofthe sill. -A rod pedal 31 extends parallel with the shaft, and the ends thereof are bent abruptly toward the shaft A and rigidly secured to the ends of the shaft preferably outsideof the bearings 30, as best shown in Fig. 4. The pedal and shaft are of sufficient length to extend throughout the entire width of .the cage so as to be easily and quickly as well as naturally accessible to the occupant of the cage by simply stepping forward with either foot to depress the pedal 31. A crank lever 32, best shown in Fig. 3, is fixed to the center of the rock shaft in any preferred manner and is terminally pivoted to the outer end of the release pin 24. At is now clear that when the pedal 31 is depressed, the rock shaft v29 will be rotated toward the operator, and, through the instrumentality of the crank lever 32, will withdraw the pin 24 against 4the tension of its controlling spring and release the shutter, which immediately is shot upwardly by the tension of the loop springs 17 and 18 to seal the grid.

In the inoperative Vposition illustrated in Fig. 1, the shutter is entirely concealed below the counter and .behind the front panel 15 and, in this position, the strong loop leaf springs are under greattension and the shutter is held by the pin 24 engaging the cleat- 26. On desiring to throw the shutter into operative position, it is only necessary for the occupant of the cage to step on the pedal 31, which, through the medium of the lever 32,

will actuate the pin 24 and disengage it from the cleat, thus allowing `the shutterl to be pushed up instantly under theinfluence ofthe force exerted by the expansion of the strong pair of loop leaf springs.

lt is desirable that an alarm "be sounded at the instant the shutter is being closed, and, for the purpose, preferably we mount an audible alarm device, such as an electric bell 33, at any convenient location, such as, 'for instance, near one of the side posts of the cage, as best shown inF'igs. 1 and 2. Preferably, a switch 34 of the push vbuttontype is mounted in any preferred manner on one of the side posts 14 on the inner side thereof,

just below the counter 12, and isspacedfrom the post in any preferred manner, such as, for instance, by means o-f a bracket arm V35 secured to the post. A projection 36, best shown in Fig. 5, is secured to the inner face of the shutter near the `corner thereof :and

Contact with said button and closethe switch.

To facilitate accurate working of lthe parts, the projection 36 is preferably `in "the form of an arched strap, both ends of which yare obliquely inclined to provide cams 37 which ride freely over the button kof the push button switch when moving ypast the latter in either direction.

As best shown in Fig. 8, the switch 34 and bell 33 are connected. in series with any -source of electrical current supply, such as, for in stance, a storage battery 38, by means of suitable conductor wires 39 and 40.

It is now clear that when the shutter is top limit of movement, the projection 36 will impinge against the button of the switch and close the circuit through the bell so that the alarm is sounded and will continue toy be sounded while the shutter remains closed, that is, at its top limit of movement.

From the above description, it will be seen that we have provided a simple and effective bank cage which will protect the occupant from being held up or shot at from persons outside the cage and which can be operated instantly, and which, in operation, will work with great accuracy due to the balanced pressure of the controlling loop leaf springs against the shutter.

It will be observed by referring to Figs. l and 2 that a pair of stop lugs 41 are provided to project forwardly from the shutter and impinge against a transverse abutment bar l2 below the counter and limit upward movement of the shutter.

While we have described and illustrated the invention as being fabricated with a bank cage, it will be understood that the shutter, alarm, springs, etc., mayv be equally well aplied wherever the need for protection arises.

Having thus described the invent-ion, we claim:

l. In an operating device for slidable shutters, loop leaf springs for throwing the shutter to closed position, said loop leaf springs being adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the shutter and cross each other at spaced points in parallel planes, means for pivotally securing the ends of the springs respectively to the shutter and to a rigid support, and

means for normally holding the springs tensioned against the shutter at its open limit of movement in retracted position, the ends of each spring being disposed near each other when the shutter is retracted and each spring being adapted to expand into substantially V-shape when the shutter is closed.

2. In an operating device for slidable shutters, loop leaf springs for throwing the shutter to closed position, said loop leaf springs being adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the shutter and cross each other at spaced points approximately at the center line of the shutter, means for pivotally connecting one end of each spring to the shutter near an end of the shutter, means for pivotally connecting the opposite end of each spring to a rigid support, both of said means being disposed substantially in alignment with each other, and means for normally holding the springs tensioned against the shutter when the shutter is open in retracted position, the ends of each spring being disposed near each other when theshutter is retracted and each spring being adapted to exthe shutter to closed position, said loop leaf springs being adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the shutter and cross each other at spaced points substantially midway between the guides, means for securing the ends of the loop leaf springs respectively to the shutter and to a stationary support, and means for normally holding the springs tensioned against the shutter when the shutter is open in retracted position, the ends of each spring being disposed near each other when the shutter is retracted and each spring being adapted to expand into substantially V-shape when the shutter is closed.

4. In on operating Idevice for slidable shuty ters, loop leaf springs for throwing the shutter to closed position,'said loop springs being adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the shutter and cross each other at spaced points substantially at the center line of the shutter, means for securing the endsl of the springs respectively to the shutter and to a stationary support, a cleat adapted to be disposed on the shutter, a spring-pressed release pin adapted to be ldisposed on said support f and normally engaged over said cleat for holding the shutter open in retracted position and holding the springs tensioned against the shutter, and means operatively connected to said pin for withdrawing the pin from the cleat to permit said springs to expand and close the shutter, the ends of each spring being disposed near each other when the shutter is retracted and each spring being adapted to expand in substantially V-shape when the shutter is closed.

In testimony whereof we afx our signatures.

FRANCESCO GULIA. ADDISON S. SNELL.

pand into substantially V-shape when the shutter is closed.

3. In an operating device for slidable shutters, guides for directing sliding movement of the shutter, loop leaf springs for throwing lil() 

